Automatic washing machines for clothes (washing machines) have been in use for relatively some time. During that time the washing machine has progressed from manually driven to electrically driven. The development of the washing machine, especially the electric washing machine, has resulted in a variety of features and/or functions that provide for the proper washing of the many different types of clothes and other items in current use. With the advent of digital processing, current embodiments of washing machines have a plethora of features and/or functions to facilitate the washing procedure. These features and/or functions are, of course, implemented by the components of the washing machine. A current feature is water temperature selection. With water temperature selection, a user is able to select the temperature of the water going into the washing tub during various modes of operation of the washing machine.
Washing machines for clothes that have a water temperature selector as well as other selectable features and/or functions are thus currently available. With such washing machines, after the user actuates the water temperature selector to select the desired water temperature(s) used for a selected washing cycle, the washing machine provides the water at the selected temperature. Currently, a plurality of various components are necessary to implement the water temperature selection and provision function. The currently used components have various drawbacks. The number of components themselves is one drawback. The number of components, in turn, creates drawbacks such as connection problems.
As an example of the above, in the typical washing machine, seven devices are used to select and control the temperature and flow of water into the wash tub of the clothes washer. Two of the seven devices are the hot and cold water valves that allow water to flow into the wash tub when externally energized. A third device is a thermistor. The thermistor is located downstream from the hot and cold water valves and measures the water temperature. The thermistor measures water temperature by converting the temperature into a resistance. The measured resistance is then correlated to a water temperature. A fourth device is a mechanical pressure switch that limits the total amount of water allowed into the wash tub.
The remaining three devices are an electromechanical timer, a rotary selector, and an electronic control. These three devices provide selection of a desired water temperature, control of the flow of water to meet that selected temperature, and control as to when the water is to flow into the wash tub. The rotary selector module provides the user a method of selecting water temperature. Additionally, the rotary selector module contributes to the logical control of water tempering through mechanical switches. The electromechanical timer provides mechanical switches that control when water will flow into the wash tub. The electromechanical timer also contributes to the logical control of water tempering one timer switch determines when a fill should occur. Another switch determines if the fill is a wash or rinse period. Additionally, four other switches are part of the logic and drive circuit for determining how the water valves are energized during the fill for temperature control. Lastly, the electronic control uses discrete electronic components that also contribute to the logical control of water tempering.
It is axiomatic that all of these components must be connected (wired) properly in order to function appropriately. Such wiring is necessarily complicated due to the nature of such connections and the amount of connections. The number of components provides more chances for errors in wiring.
In view of the above, what is therefore needed is a simpler manner of controlling water parameters in a washing machine. Particularly, what is needed is a simpler manner of selecting and/or controlling water temperature in a washing machine. More particularly, what is needed is a simpler manner of providing water temperature selection and control of water temperature in a washing machine.